MTFCA Forum

Several guys told me I needed to help Alex get his T going. His Dad had restored it a few times and now it was his. I have not been successful at diagnosing problems I didn't create myself. I resisted and Alex did get the car down to our car show. It would not stay running when it was time to leave. I wondered over to see if I could help. It would start and run a second or two and then spit gas out the back of the carb and die. When I reached for the carb mixture adjustment I was instructed "Dad said NOT to touch that". It explained a lot. I used my jack to lift the rear wheel and it started and ran fine without any adjusting. He knew it would but didn't bring the jack.
Alex is a bright young fellow and I'm sure he will do fine with the car the more he plays with it. Or he will become disgusted and sell it. I think I planted the seed about seeing what the carb adjustment does. Many suggestions were given about the coils and it not running on all four. All by non-T guys. But he was on the right track. I learned by trial and error and that served me well.
So, when a fellow with an early White truck asked me today how to adjust the governor, I thought about the "not touching it" idea. I cleaned mine up 40 years ago without disassembling it where it adjusted. Just cleaned around it and reassembled it. I have no expertise in things I haven't messed with, so I couldn't share any wisdom with him. I'm sure he will figure it out on his own or find a better expert.
I have been given much credit for knowing things I don't simply by muddling through stuff.
Kudos to those of you who know and those who help.
Rich

In my experience, often times simply "muddling through" is what leads to success. The art of never giving up!

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your own point of view, failure is one of the best teachers. I never knew anyone that did everything right the first time out of the gate. As long as we learn from the trial and error process, and don’t do irreversible damage along the way, hopefully we eventually get it right. Can’t be afraid to try something new or different if what’s being done isn’t working.

Those lessons hard leaned are better remembered. My quandary is how much to help. Too little help and one may lose interest. But doing everything for someone doesn't always give them confidence and knowledge. Alex said he wished he had spent more time with his Dad on the T but was too busy with other things. Giving moral support and encouraging them to do what they can is important. Winning the fight over a Model T problem is rewarding and gives us confidence. That is one thing that kept me interested in them for these many years.
I helped guys more in earlier years and most sold or gave up on the cars. So, I question what makes a dedicated T fellow. Each case is different.
Rich